Imperial Cuisine: Tradition and Legacy

Beijing – Empress Dowager Cixi once dreamt of a pastry in the twilight years of imperial China. The next morning, the pastry was served to her at breakfast, leading to the chef being rewarded with a silver ingot. Originally named ‘minced pork pancake,’ the pastry became known as ‘dream pastry’ due to its alignment with her dream, shared by Zhou Tong, a chef at Fangshan Restaurant in Beijing.

Fangshan specializes in imperial cuisine, maintaining dishes associated with Cixi and other culinary traditions from China’s imperial court. Founded in 1925 in Beihai Park, the restaurant was established by Qing Dynasty chefs who emulated imperial cuisine. Di Xin, assistant general manager, explained the restaurant’s name Fangshan means ‘imitating the imperial cuisine.’

A few Beijing restaurants offer imperial cuisine, but the Palace Museum safeguards Qing-dynasty dining artifacts, including pastry molds. Each meal followed specific rules, traceable to daily fare for emperors and court feasts.

Rituals and Traditions

Imperial cuisine involved rituals. Drinking milk tea was essential at Qing dynasty banquets, noted Teng Deyong from China’s Palace Museum. The emperor would offer wine or food to princes and officials, who performed rites before consuming them.

Aside from banquets, sacrificial rituals were conducted, featuring unseasoned meat offerings.

One such ritual was held at the Palace of Earthly Tranquillity, where fatty pork was boiled without salt, signifying Qing court importance. Following the ceremony, distributing the sacrificial meat was a high honor among guests.

Earlier traditions mirrored this, as described by Wandi Wang, a Chinese professor at Lehigh University. He referenced the classical “Book of Rites,” which mentioned unseasoned meat broth served during sacrificial ceremonies. This practice honored antiquity and cultural origins.

Preserving Pastry Traditions

Pastries are vital to imperial cuisine; the court had a dedicated institution for them. Fangshan’s sweets include Cixi’s ‘dream pastry’ and steamed corn buns. The recipes retain imperial origins, and Zhou noted customers appreciate the meaningful history behind them.

Learning from a master, Zhou adopted traditional techniques passed down generations. Hand-cooked methods are insisted upon, using sieves for beans and copper pots for flour, avoiding blenders for texture preservation. Among Fangshan’s popular items are pea flour cakes and red bean rolls.

Innovative Techniques

Chef Fan Liangliang, starting as a kitchen apprentice, transitioned from culinary school methods to slower, traditional processes. One method is ‘Nizihuo,’ involving mincing ingredients into a paste shaped into decorative forms like frogs and flowers. This hallmark of imperial cuisine required innovation, visual appeal, nutrition, and presentation.

While rare ingredients like bear paws have disappeared, adaptations ensure the spirit of each dish is retained. The fusion of Manchu and Han traditions underpins Fangshan’s imperial cuisine, merging Qing ruler and majority population cultures.

Culinary Heritage

Historical Chinese cuisine conveys cultural values and politics. Chinese poet Du Fu wrote about noodles expressing political loyalty and ambition. Wandi Wang noted culinary heritage reflects evolving political, cultural, and aesthetic ideas.

Preserving tradition involves respecting historical context. Chef Fan emphasized Fangshan’s dedication to Chinese heritage, adapting techniques like stir-frying and braising, considering modern tastes and ingredient constraints.

Fan hopes diners at Fangshan experience more than a meal – they connect with history.